Bathing in Latinum
by Lense
Summary: Lore and Ishara make a business run. They find a bit more than they were expecting. AU from my usual work as Ishara is not really present in my version of Lore's timeline. I love the Ishara/Lore pairing and I may do a few more one shots like it.


Lore gave her the thumbs up and Ishara straightened her sexy, but professional suit jacket before grinning at him and pushing the door bell.

"You know, this estate is known for being one of the largest in the quadrant. Over 200,000 square meters it's _easily_ the largest in this system." Lore noted, smirking at her, trying not to geek out about it too much.

She looked him up and down, also smirking. "Feel like playing _mommy_ and _daddy_?"

They waited patiently for another forty seconds but there was no answer. Ishara looked at him again, a bit nervously, and rang the bell once more. No response from the comm panel.

Lore's communicator chimed with a message from Black. "Brunzo sent a message to say he's not home and to just go on in. Says he trusts that you can pick up the payment honestly and without assistance. He also said to make yourselves at home. I doubt he's ever there anyway."

Lore raised his eyebrow at her and shrugged before the two of them pushed open the massive wrought iron door.

Inside a ring of chandeliers circled one colossal chandelier which was quite impressive and also quite blinding. Ishara weaved around Lore, absolutely excited at the prospect of exploring the house.

"I want a house like this." She remarked. Lore gave her a face.

"Pfft. You're going to have to save up." He said, face still turned upward as he walked through the entrance hall, hands pocketed. "I'm pretty sure you could purchase me one thousand times over with the money it would take to build this monster."

"But how would I keep it _clean_?" She asked herself, ignoring him.

"You wouldn't, because you wouldn't even be using ninety percent of it– holy _fuck_ , look at this kitchen." The kitchen was the size of ten forward, at least. "Are we going to play _parrises squares_ in this kitchen?"

Lore opened a drawer and discovered a white chef's hat. Overjoyed, he placed it on his head. "' _Chez Brunzo's new cooking show.'_ " he mocked, in a faux-smug accent, picking up a spatula in each hand, banging rhythmically on the pots overhead.

"Come _on_!" Her voice echoed down the staircase along with the sound of her spiked heels clicking on Vulcan marble. He hastily removed his chef's garb.

He took the stairs two at a time, before she drew him off the staircase, into a wide hall, her heels wobbling dangerously as they ran. They found the massive storage and replication bay, and when the lights kicked on, her jaw dropped. On one half of the room was the replication facility. On the other half, divided by one-way mirrored glass, was a bathhouse.

"Lore. Lore, look at this bathhouse. Look at this _bath_."

"I see it." An empty bath, approximately four meters across, dominated the space. Its octagonal shape was reminiscent of the peak of the Bajoran renaissance, though the bathhouse itself had many elements resembling Betazoid architecture and design. The gold tiles inlaid in the tub were laced with platinum, and were encrusted with dilithium crystals in addition to less valuable stones such as diamonds and very large emeralds. The tub was a masterpiece.

"Hm." Ishara declared matter-of-factly, placing her hands on her hips and appraising him. "I feel like taking a bath."

She grinned broadly and began taking off her suit jacket, kicking off her heels, and removing her jewelry. Chuckling excitedly in affirmation, Lore began removing his articles of clothing just as rapidly.

In naught but her favorite set of black, lacy lingerie – which she had hoped to display later that evening as a celebratory surprise for a successful business exchange – she gingerly placed a pedicured foot upon the gold tiles. Lore, comfortable in his complete nudity, had waltzed over to the bath's control panel.

He paused for a moment and then laughed. "You're not going to believe this."

"What's that? Oh my god you're _naked_?" She laughed at her own feeble joke but Lore was still standing at the panel. He made a few commands, entered the supplied code and the bath began to fill rapidly with silver.

Or more accurately, _latinum_.

Ishara laughed again but it was more an exclamation of shock tinged with disbelief. She dipped her toes in it. "OH! It's _cold_!"

"It's evaporation temperature is about 20 degrees, so it has to be kept pretty chilled."

"This is going to be the most luxurious cold bath I've ever taken."She said, her fingertips dancing over the surface, up to her belly button, her breaths coming in short gasps. "Just wait until we tell Black we _bathed_ in his _latinum_."

"I'm sure he'll get a kick out of that." Lore remarked, allowing his body to slip into the thin, cool liquid, all the way up to his chin before pulling her in with him.


End file.
